Straw bundler



y 16, 1939- c. PETERSON 2,158,729

sTRAw BUNDLER Filed June 22, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l w W i "a Z INVENTO'R ATTORNEYS May 16, 1939. 5; c. PETERSON STRAW BUNDLER Filed June 22, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 XNVENTOR ATTO RN EYS brackets IIB by bolts or rivets 2U. carries an angletironiz22 attached thereto by bolts "or rivetsl24, andithe angle ironsZ-Zsupport a shaft Patented May 16, 1939 UN] TEID ."S TA TE S PATENT OF F I Q E 4 Claims.

My invention relatesto combine harvesters, and

includes among its objects and advantages the provisional? an improved .straw "bundling attachmerit. An-obiect of myiinventionis to provide .a straw bundling device which may be associated with a combine Iharves'ter vfor tying the 'threshed straw 'into'lbundles to facilitate handling and disposal of the Shaw.

A further object is to provide a'bundling device in which novel means is employed for controlling and'conditioning the straw as it leaves the combine and delivering the straw to the binding unit.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. '1.is an end elevational view of a portion of a combine harvester showing my invention applied thereto;

.Fig. 2 isa view taken from. the position indicated by the line 2- 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken from the position indicated by 'the'line3-3 of Fig. '2;

Fig. 4is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5'isa sectional view along the line 55 of Fig. 4.

In "the embodiment selected'toillustrate my invention, I make use ofa combine harvester ID of the type which cutsand threshesthe grain. Conventional combines deliver'the straw to the field in-a loose condition. Much of such straw is saved, 'andin some cases it is burned,'but in either case the problem of disposal is a difiicult one because of'the loosenature of the material. If the straw is saved it is difficult to handle and is exceedingly bulky in relation to weight. My invention relates to the tying of the straw into bundles before itis dropped on the field. The straw is compacted firmly and tied into bundles of convenient size for handling such as the grain bundles made by conventional binders.

In Fig. 4, thestrawis discharged laterally from the combine through the opening l2. This straw is delivered to a bundling device I4 which may comprise a standard binder head of the 'Deering type. The combine in includes angle irons I6 on opposite sides, to which angle irons I connect Each bracket :26 :to which the bundling device 14 is connected. A Eload supporting cable 501 "wire-12.8 .has one end connected at 3|] by the framework of the comhine and itsother iend'is attachedto the bundling deviceror binder head Mat 32 (see Figs. 2 and 3) The binder head l4 includes the usual grain supporting board v3.4, .packers andknotter 33. Board 314 is slottedinjthe usual manner foreccommodating the packers .36 and the needle at. -Loose straw as it comes from .the combine is bulky and difficult to handle by a conventional binderhead forbundling purposes. To. facilitate delivery of the straw to the binder head insuch condition .as to enable the binding mechanism to form the straw Jinto compact sheaves and tie the same, Ilma'ke .use of .twostraw compacting units 42 and 44. Both units areidentical in construction and are so arrangedas to receive the straw discharged through the opening '52, press it into a compact mass, and deliver the straw onto the board 1354, after which the packers 35 form the straw into compact sheaves. .Pigs. iand 5 illustrate the specific construction of the units 12 .and 4.4.

limit 42 comprises a canvas 46 running on roll- .ers 48 -andf5il andmayjbe provided with slats 52 such .as .are .used in binder canvases. Unit i l comprises .a canvas .54 running onrollers 56 and 58. Canvas "5.4 also .may be provided with slats .613. In'Fig. .5, '1 illustrate the unit Mas comprising side frame members 62 connected into unitary spaced .relationby tie bolts or barsfit. Each member ,62 carries a metallic plate 65 longer and wider than-its.associatedframe member, as illustrated in Fig. .Roller '56 is provided with a shaft 68 provided witha grooved sheave it! about which a \/-belt 12 operates. Shaft 63 isrotatably supported Within an opening in one of the frame members .62 and .its associated plate t6, while the Opposite end of the roller is provided with a shaft 14 rotatably mounted .in the other frame member 62 and its associated .plate. Roller 58is provided withshafts 1.6 journaled in the frame members Blandend plates '66 in the same manner .as the shafts 68 and 1.4.

'Theunit 4A includes thesame frame structure as the unit '42. The only difference in the two units resides in the location of the power rollers.

In unit 14, thepowerroller 56 is located at the bottom end of the unit, whereas in the unit 42 thepower roller 48 is located at the upper end of the unit in close proximity to the straw rack 18.

A'grooved's'heave 80 is connected with the roller 43 for connection with the V-belt it which is twisted in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3.

'In operation, the upper reach of the canvas 46 travels "in the *direction of the arrow 82, while :the adjacent reachof the canvas-54 travels in the :direction of the arrow 84. To one end of the power roll 48 Iconnect a sheave 85, which in turn is connected with a V-belt 88 running around a sheave mounted on the main power shaft 92 of the combine. Thus, the sheave 90 drives the roller 48. which in turn drives the roller 56 through the medium of the belt 12.

The packer shaft 94 of the binder head I4 is operatively connected with the belt 58 through the medium of a sheave 96. The frame of the unit 44 is fixedly related to the combine I0. Each side of the unit is fixedly connected with brace bars 98 and I00. Bars 98 are connected with the angle iron I6 at I02, while one end of each bar I00 is connected with its respective bar 98 at I04. To each bar 98 I connect a brace bar I06, which in turn is connected with the angle iron 22 on that side of the machine.

Brace bars 98 carry bearings I08 which rotatably support the shafts IIO connected with the power roll 48. Sheave 86 is connected with one of the shafts IIO (see Fig. 2). Unit 42 may be pivoted about the axes of the shafts I I0. I illustrate the lower end of the unit 44 as being connected with two tension springs H2. The upper ends of the springs are connected with the tie bolts 64 of the unit 44 (see Fig. 5). Thus, the unit 42 is adjustable toward and away from the unit 44.

Chaff is blown from the combine through the outlet II4, which chaff is blown onto a trough I I6 which delivers the chaff to the straw delivered to the board 34. In Figs. 1 and 3, I illustrate the combine as being provided with a hood I I 8 which extends over the units 42 and 44.

On the board 34, I mount two straw deflecting plates I20, which plates include flanges I22 pivotally anchored at I24 to the board. The lower edge of the board is slotted at I26 for the reception of bolts I28 which pass through openings in the flanges I22 for securing the plates I20 in different angular positions. The plates converge in the direction of the trip lever I30 of the binder head I4. This trip is conventional and need not be described in further detail. To the upper end of the trip lever 30, I mount a cross bar I32 which forms additional support for the loose straw as it is being compacted against the lever by the packers 36.

In operation, the straw moves outwardly through the opening I2 and is delivered to the canvas 46 which carries the straw downwardly. The canvas 54 is arranged substantially parallel to the discharge end of the combine and in angular relation with the canvas 46. The lower ends of the canvases 46 and 54 are arranged in close relation so as to compact the straw before it is delivered to the board 34. Because of the springs I I2, the lower end of the unit 42 is movably related to the unit 44 so as to provide accommodation for large batches of straw which may be delivered to the units. The straw is delivered to the board 34 in a compacted mass, after which the packers 36 form the straw into compact sheaves. After the sheave of a predetermined size and compactness has been formed, the trip lever I30 is pressed sufficiently far to set the tying mechanism into operation, after which the bundle is tied and thrown out. The bundling and tying mechanism is identical with that of a conventional grain binder, and need not be described in further detail.

My invention is applicable to conventional combines and is so designed as to make use of a conventional binder head. In conventional binder heads the packers 36 each carries a prong on its rear edge at an acute angle to the main reach of the prong. I find it desirable to remove these prongs. In removing the prongs, the upper ends of the packers are devoid of obstructions and irregularities which interfere with the eifective handling of material such as straw. According to Fig. 4, the packers each comprises a single curved member shaped to pass through the straw easily and function in such a manner as to efiectively compact the straw against the trip lever I30 in such a manner that a solid and well formed straw bundle is made. In other respects, the binder head remains unchanged.

Bars I00 are bored for connection with the upper tie rod 64 while the outer ends of the bars 98 are bored for connection with the lower tie rod 64. Bar I00 is provided with a plurality of openings I32 for selective reception of the ends of the upper tie rod 64 to the end that the unit 44 may be adjusted in various angular positions about the axis of the lower tie rod 64. Similarly, brace bars I06 have their upper ends provided with a plurality of openings I34 for the selective reception of bolts I36 which connect the bars with the bars 98. Because of the openings I34, the unit 44 may be adjusted bodily in a vertical direction so as to secure precise relation between the lower ends of the units 42 and 44 with respect to the board 34 and the packers 36. According to the arrangement of Fig. 4, the unit 44 is so related to the board 34 as to positively move the straw into the zone of the packers.

Some types of combines have the straw discharge outlet at the rear end of the machine while others embody a side discharge such as that illustrated in the drawings. In an installation such as that illustrated, it may be necessary to shift the units 42 and 44 and the binder head to permit the machine to pass through gates and the like. Referring to Fig. 4, the bolts I36 may be unloosened, at which time the unit 44 may be pivoted upwardly against the rear end of the machine about the axis of the bolts 102. Such shifting of the unit 44 will also pivot the unit 44 because of the springs I I2. With the units 42 and 44 pivoted and supported in their upper adjustment, access may be had to the sheaves and other parts from the rear end of the combine. At the same time, the binder head or unit I4 may be pivoted upwardly about the axis of the shaft 26 and supported in such position so as to reduce the over-all dimensions of the machine. The bundles are well formed and are easy to handle. The plates I20 may be adjusted to form bundles of different lengths depending upon the nature of the straw as it comes from the combine.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. In a device of the type described, a bundling mechanism adapted for association with a thrasher having a straw discharge, two traveling canvases positioned between the straw discharge and the bundling mechanism. one of said traveling canvases being positioned substantially in a vertical plane and the other of said traveling canvases being arranged at an obtuse angle thereto, said traveling canvases being so arranged as to deliver the straw to the bundling mechanism in a compacted mass, and means for operating the canvases.

2. In a device of the type described, a bundling mechanism adapted for association with a thrasher having a straw discharge, two traveling canvases positioned between the straw discharge and the bundling mechanism, one of said traveling canvases being positioned substantially in a vertical plane and the other of said traveling canvases being arranged at an obtuse angle thereto, said traveling canvases being so arranged as to deliver the straw to the bundling mechanism in a compacted mass, and means for operating the canvases, one of said traveling canvases being movably related to the other.

3. In a device of the type described, a bundling mechanism adapted for association with a combine thrasher having a straw discharge, means for supporting the bundling mechanism on the 15 combine thrasher, and thrashed straw compacting means interposed between the straw discharge and the bundling mechanism.

4. In a device of the type described, a bundling mechanism adapted for association with a thrasher having a straw discharge, two travelling endless units positioned between the straw discharge and the bundling mechanism for compacting thrashed straw, one of said units being mounted on a fixed support, the other of said units being mounted on a pivoted support, resilient means interconnecting the units, the pivoted unit yielding to variable straw pressure, to compensate variation in the flow of the straw.

GLEN PETERSON. 

